| We think of the Malawians who
risk stigmatization within their congregations to care for those
afflicted with terminal illness, especially AIDS. Then we think
of the congregations in the United States who are putting together
home-based care kits for those people to use. We think of the
church congregations in the Synod of Livingstonia who worry because
they are not reaching the younger generations and their memberships
have dropped from 3,000 to 2,500; and then we think of the same
concerns expressed by the congregations here whose average membership
is 222. Every time we turn on our faucet we think of the women
in Malawi who will be walking an average of two miles to collect
a pail of possibly clean water. Yet we not only have potable water
in our home, we have a choice of hot or cold.
We are thankful that we can see God’s mercy, hope, works,
and unification in this country and in Malawi. We are also thankful
that we are members of a denomination that approved an initiative
in 2002 to ask Presbyterians “to prayerfully examine our
own personal giving and commit at least 0.7 percent of our income
to the Presbyterian international health and development projects,
particularly those that address the ‘diseases of poverty.’”
During our furlough we look forward to reconnecting with church
families, meeting new congregations, and catching up with family
and friends. We are also excited to introduce our newest daughter
to everyone. Selina Ruth McGill joined our family at the age of
14 months in December 2002. She was severely malnourished and
initially rejuvenated through the Ministry of Hope’s crisis
nursery operated by PC(USA) missionary Nancy Dimmock in Lilongwe.
After about a month of intensive feeding Selina, joined our family.
She is making tremendous progress and is determined to keep up
with her three siblings.
The boys, Michael and Jason, have begun first grade and are shell-shocked
by everything available in the school and have also hit the reality
that school is now not all about play. They have homework for
the first time! The girls seem to love everything right now as
they are so pampered and admired everywhere they go. Jim, as the
Synod coordinator for protected water, is in Malawi just now to
work with several permanent Malawian staff to ensure that everything
is in place for the installation of shallow wells in Malawi, Zambia,
and Tanzania. He will return to the United States in October.
Thank God!
We ask for prayer for:
- Safe travels for everyone during the shallow well installation
period,
- a sense of peace during this adjustment period,
- guidance and counsel when preparing our presentations to the
congregations.
We offer prayers of thanksgiving and concern for friends and
family here and in Malawi, and we pray that the congregations
we visit may receive, as God would have them receive, the messages
we bring.
Peace and please feel free to contact us.
Jodi, Jim, Michael, Jason, Salome, Selina McGill
The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p.
48
|
